Coffee house and cafe will be first retail tenant at Hartford's 777 Main apartment tower.

HARTFORD — A coffeehouse and cafe that donates part of its sales to local nonprofit groups will open its eighth location by this summer in a downtown tower now being converted to apartments.

Blue State Coffee — founded in Providence in 2004 and with three locations in New Haven — will open in ground-floor retail space at 777 Main St. and plans seasonal outdoor seating on the sidewalk opposite the Old State House.

Bruce R. Becker, the developer of the 777 Main conversion, said that Blue State Coffee is leasing 1,350 square feet just to the south of the tower's main residential entrance.

Since opening, Blue State has donated $485,000 to 200 local nonprofit organizations in Providence, New Haven and Boston. Customers determine which nonprofits receive donations.

Becker, of Becker + Becker in Fairfield, also the developer of the 360 State St. apartment tower in New Haven, said that he was long familiar with Blue State in the Elm City.

Becker said that Blue State "follows in the long tradition of coffee houses fueling ideas and political discourse" and will boost vibrancy in and around a building that has long been vacant.

The first of 285 apartments in the $85 million conversion of 777 Main could be ready for occupancy this spring, Becker has said.

Blue State's announcement comes just a little more than a month after Jojo's Coffee Roasting Co., a fixture on Pratt Street, closed after about 15 years.

"We were impressed by Becker + Becker's commitment to quality, sustainable development, historic preservation and urban revitalization and are pleased to be the new 'anchor' tenant," said Carolyn Greenspan, Blue State Coffee's co-owner.

The tower will draw most of its power from a $3 million fuel cell that was delivered in January. Thermal energy from the fuel cell also will be used to help heat the 26-story former bank building in the heart of downtown.

Becker has said that the project is seeking a platinum rating — the highest possible — from the U.S. Green Building Council.

Blue State said that it serves fairly traded coffees from around the world. According to its website, Blue State's specialties include scones, muffins, cookies, Nutella bars, brownies, tea breads, cupcakes, cakes and macaroons, plus "locally made" bagels and croissants.

Financing for 777 Main includes $17.7 million in state taxpayer funds from the Capital Region Development Authority. The authority is backing the apartment development to boost downtown vitality beyond the workweek.